SOCIAL MEDIA IN PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE AAPOR TASK FORCE ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH

Public opinion research is entering a new era, one in which traditional survey research may play a less dominant role. The proliferation of new technologies, such as mobile devices and social-media platforms, is changing the societal landscape across which public opinion researchers operate. As these technologies expand, so does access to users' thoughts, feelings, and actions expressed instantaneously, organically, and often publicly across the platforms they use. The ways in which people both access and share information about opinions, attitudes, and behaviors have gone through a greater transformation in the past decade than perhaps in any previous point in history, and this trend appears likely to continue. The ubiquity of social media and the opinions users express on social media provide researchers with new data-collection tools and alternative sources of qualitative and quantitative information to augment or, in some cases, provide alternatives to more traditional data-collection methods. The reasons to consider social media in public opinion and survey research are no different than those of any alternative method. We are ultimately concerned with answering research questions, and this often requires the collection of data in one form or another. This may involve the analysis of data to obtain qualitative insights or quantitative estimates. The quality of data and the ability to help accurately answer research questions are of paramount concern. Other practical considerations include the cost efficiency of the method and the speed at which the data can be collected, analyzed, and disseminated. If the combination of data quality, cost efficiency, and timeliness required by a study can best be achieved through the use of social media, then there is reason to consider these methods for research. An additional reason to consider social media in public opinion and survey research is its explosion in popularity over the past several years. At a time when many are eschewing landline telephones (Blumberg and Luke 2013) or actively taking steps to prevent unsolicited contact (e.g., caller ID, restricted-access buildings), many are now communicating and interacting online via social-networking sites. It is only natural for researchers to aim to meet potential respondents where they have the best chance of getting their attention and potentially gaining their cooperation. However, this brave new world is not without its share of issues and pitfalls--technol